3D-FINITE-ELEMENT-MODELING OF MICROSTRUCTURES WITH THE METHOD OF MULTIPHASE ELEMENTS

We present a 3D-multiphase element which permits the finite-element-mo delling of the plastic deformation of realistic 3D-microstructures. in contrast to conventional 'singlephase elements' where the phase bound aries are simulated by element edges, the 'multiphase element' can be assigned to different materials when a phase boundary runs across it, The 3D-multiphase element is firstly applied to a simple test geometry . The efficiency of the 3D-multiphase element method is demonstrated b y the analysis of a more complex 3D-microstructure. Finally, for a com parison of 2D- and 3D-simulations the stress distribution obtained in the 3D-calculation is compared with the results of a 2D-simulation of a representative intersection of the microstructnre. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.